Paths of Friendship
by ChakramSais
Summary: Sequel to Child of Hope. This continues about a year after Child of Hope. Xena, Gabrielle, and their children head to Britania.
1. Part 1

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. I made some up, but the rest aren't mine. They belong to the creators of Xena Warrior Princess.  
  
Author's Note: Takes place after Child of Hope.  
  
Paths of Friendship  
  
Part 1  
  
Dawn sat on my lap as I rode my new horse, Midnight. Dawn was two years old, and Xena's twins, Gabriel and Ivy were a year old now. They had very short, dark black hair and ice blue eyes.  
  
Dawn's hair was growing longer and it was still as red as ever, and her eyes were a beautiful emerald green. She wore a pretty little white dress, much like what she used to wear after she was born, but this was, of course, bigger. She wore a lacy bonnet that tied under her chin. It was pure white, and it kept the sun out of her eyes.  
  
Gabriel wore a little blue shirt and blue trousers that he was comfortable in. He wore a blue hat to shield him from the sun as well.  
  
Ivy wore a cute little green dress with a bonnet that tied under the chin as well. Xena liked to dress her up in that.  
  
Xena and I, over the past year, had traveled to Chin to retrieve a sacred emerald, traveled to the Land of Indus to rescue a kidnapped princess, headed to the Norselands to pay a visit to the Norse god Oden to return the golden apples to him, which our very own Autolycus had taken.  
  
We did all of this with the children in tow. We would occasionally leave them with my mother and father and sister or with Xena's mother. We also visited Solan in Athens. He was thriving as a bard and he even had a story published in the Athens Times, the daily scroll.  
  
Xena and I had focused on our children more than our friendship, but we were still the best of friends. We would try to take time out of our busy day, after the children were asleep, to just sit and talk, but it really never worked out because one of the three sleepy babies would start crying and we wouldn't get to finish a conversation.  
  
My blonde hair was still kept short, I liked it much better that way. Xena still wore her dark hair long, it hung down her back. She kept it trimmed once a month, just to make sure that it didn't get completely ridiculous to manage.  
  
I looked over at Xena who was riding Argo and holding Ivy on her lap as Gabriel was asleep in the carrier that Xena wore on her back. We were heading towards Britania. We heard of an evil, an evil that was named Dahak, who was trying to rule. Xena and I were ready to jump into action, to kick ass, and to save the world, like usual.  
  
  



	2. Part 2

Part 2  
  
We reached Britania very soon, and we immediately saw destruction. We figured that Dahak had followers that were destroying the place. Xena and I stopped our horses atop a hill and looked down over the scene.   
  
Homes were burning, children were screaming and crying, people were fleeing for their lives. Warriors were running around, ransacking homes as they came to them, stealing everyone's possessions. I looked at Xena, who looked like her blood was about to boil, and I started my horse down the hill as hers headed down in front of me.  
  
Argo ran at full speed ahead as Midnight kept a good pace and followed. I had my daughter in my arms snugly so that she wouldn't fall. I held her close, for fear that she would slip from my grasp.  
  
"Gabrielle! Head for that temple!" Xena exclaimed, pointing to a building nearby. I saw warriors taking a young woman into the temple, a sacrifice. I nodded to Xena.   
  
"Yah!" I cried as I made the horse take me to the temple. I dismounted quickly and put my daughter in the fur carrier that I had for her and strapped it on quickly. I ran into the temple, my Sais in hand, my daughter on my back, and I jumped into action.   
  
There was no action to jump in to. There was nobody there except for the girl. I saw her lying on the altar and there was a fire going. Well, it was more like a pit of fire. I hurried over to the girl and cut the ropes she was bound with and helped her off of the temple.   
  
"Thank you." The girl said softly. I nodded and Dawn began to cry. I took off the carrier and handed my daughter to the girl.  
  
"Take her out of here, please. I need you to hide outside, okay?" I asked.   
  
"Okay." The young girl said. With that, she took my daughter out of the temple and I was left in silence. I looked around and all I could see was the stone walls, the altar, and the fire pit.  
  
"Show yourself!" I exclaimed. Silence lingered. I walked around the altar for a minute and I heard a whoosh behind me. I turned quickly and saw the fire rise up out of the pit, high, so high that it hit the stone ceiling. My eyes widened and the last thing I remembered was falling to the ground, the fire sweeping out to grab my ankles.  



	3. Part 3

Part 3  
  
I awoke to see Xena sitting beside me, a cold cloth in her hand as she put it on my forehead. I saw the young girl sitting beside her, holding my daughter. Gabriel and Ivy were sleeping soundly, strapped onto Xena's back.  
  
"What happened?" I asked. Xena looked worriedly at me.  
  
"That fire, it rose up out of the pit and it pinned you to the altar. It surrounded you, Gabrielle." Xena declared.  
  
"Why?" I asked. I looked at the young girl. "Do you know?" She shook her head.   
  
"I have no idea." She declared.  
  
  
That night, Xena and I were lying under the stars, staring up into the sky silently. Dawn had long been asleep, and Xena's twins were just falling asleep.  
  
"What do you think happened today?" Xena asked me. I looked at her.  
  
"I don't know." I said. "I don't understand what happened. I was so scared. I felt this huge wave of fear pass over me and I didn't know what to do. I just froze and felt myself fall as the fire gripped my ankles."  
  
Xena looked at me sympathetically, and we both were silent the rest of the night. I looked up into the starry sky and fell asleep after Xena did. I felt tears roll out of my eyes as I fell asleep. I knew that something happened there that day. I just didn't know what.  



	4. Part 4

Part 4  
  
I woke up in the morning, and I was sick. I leaned over my bedroll and wretched. Xena woke up to the sound and put a hand on my back.  
  
"Gabrielle?" she asked. I looked over at her. "Are you all right?"   
  
"I think so." I said sarcastically. I sat up, wiping my mouth. My daughter had awoke, and she toddled over to me.   
  
"Mama sick?" she asked. I nodded.  
  
"Xena, I don't want the babies around this. I'm gonna go into town and see a healer."   
  
"Nonsense, Gabrielle. The kids will be fine. Don't worry. I don't think you have a virus. I'm a healer too."  
  
"I know, Xena." I said softly. "I think my nerves are just shot since yesterday. My gods, that was terrible."  
  
"I know. I know." Xena said. "Here, lie back. Just relax and I'll take the kids down to the lake for their baths. I'll bring you back some water to drink."  
  
"Okay." I said. "Thanks." Xena smiled and picked up her sleeping twins. She put Ivy in the sling and put it on her back. She carried Gabriel, one arm around his waist and he sat on her hip as she walked. She held Dawn's hand with her free hand, and she took them for their baths.  
  
I just laid there and stared up at the sky. My stomach felt terrible. I felt as if I was going to throw up again, but I didn't. I just laid there. I didn't move.  
  
Before I knew it, I was waking up. Xena was standing over me with a wineskin full of water. She was holding two clean babies and there was a clean toddler standing beside her. I smiled at my little girl who's hair, damp with water, shined in the morning sunshine.  
  
"Hi Dawn." I said as I took my baby girl into my arms.  
  
"Mama!" she exclaimed. I chuckled.   
  
"Are you feeling better?" Xena asked. I nodded as I took a drink from the wineskin.  
  
"Much better." I said. Xena smiled.  
  
"That's good. Do you feel like heading out? We've got a big day today. We've got to go kick some evil demon ass." Xena said with enthusiasm. I looked at her.  
  
"I'll manage." I said. She smiled.  
  
"All right. Well, you look much better." She said. "I think you're going to be okay."  
  
"Thank the gods." I whispered.  
  
In a couple of hours, I was mounting Midnight. I sat there with Dawn in her sling. She was sleeping on my back. Xena had the twins in their slings on her back, and she was on Argo.   
  
"Let's get ready to rumble." Xena declared. I smiled at my friend's choice of words, and we headed out quickly on the horses.  



	5. Part 5

Part 5  
  
Within the next hour, Xena and I were walking through the demolished village. The only standing building was the temple where I had been bound by fire. I was uneasy as I looked at it.  
  
"Xena, I don't know about this." I said softly. She looked at me.   
  
"You look really pale Gabrielle. You should head back. I'll take care of this." Xena offered.  
  
"No. I'm gonna help you." I said. "I want to do this, Xena. I have to do this."   
  
"I understand." Xena said. We rode up to the temple quietly. Xena and I got off of our horses and let them wander and graze. Xena made sure that the slings her twins were in were fastened snugly to her and I made sure the sling for Dawn was fastened snugly around me.   
  
"All right. Let's go." Xena said. Side-by-side, Xena and I went into the temple. All was silent. Everything was still except for the large flame in the fire pit.  
  
"So, this is Dahak." Xena said. "He doesn't look so tough."   
  
"He is." I said. "More powerful that anyone could ever dream."   
  
"I wouldn't doubt it. Gods, that's one big flame." Xena said. She drew her chakram and her sword. She put them on the altar. She looked at me. I put my Sais on the altar. We walked around the fire pit.  
  
"We should be careful, Xena." I said. Xena nodded.  
  
"So, Dahak. You're the evil one these days, huh? Well, you see, my friend here, well, you did something to her last night. We're both here to make sure you are never worshiped again. So, we can do this the easy way, or . . ." Dahak's flame shot up to the ceiling as Xena's eyes widened. "The hard way it is."  
  
"Xena." I said nervously as Dawn began to cry. I felt my stomach lurch. I felt sweat forming on my brow. I felt my legs shaking. Xena looked at me.  
  
"Come on Dahak. Is that all you've got? Just an impressive flame? You aren't even in human form. I mean, you could at least zap on a couple of gauntlets and some armor."  
  
"Xena, please. Let's go now!" I pleaded.  
  
"I'll see you around, Dahak. I don't want to see you until you're brave enough to fight me. So, until then . . ." Xena started. She walked over and found a huge shield. "Gabrielle, help me with this, will ya?" I hurried over to Xena and she and I pushed the huge battle shield over the massive fire pit. It blocked Dahak's flame. "Stand back, Gabrielle." I stood back and Xena stood back a bit as well. She reached for her chakram, which was still on the altar, and she threw it up at the ceiling, and it caused the ceiling to cave in and cover the shielded pit.   
  
I looked at Xena with wide eyes, and she gave me a smile.  
  
"Let's get out of here." She declared. I didn't protest. I followed her out of the temple and just as soon as we got on our horses with the children and got far enough away, the temple exploded, sending brick and stone flying all over the place.  
  
  



	6. Part 6

Part 6  
  
Xena and I rode our horses in a trot as we left Britania. We figured that the villagers would build their community back and that Dahak was trapped. Somehow, Xena knew that we were sure to see Dahak again, but he'd be in human form and nowhere near Britania.  
  
On Xena's back, Ivy began to cry.   
  
"Whoa." Xena said to Argo, and the horse stopped immediately. I stopped Midnight, and Xena and I got off of our horses. We sat down on a big, flat rock and pulled out some dried fruit. I went ahead and fed Dawn because she looked a little hungry. Xena fed Gabriel and Ivy, and we sat there quietly. I looked at Xena. She looked at me. The fussy children in our arms were trying to wriggle free, but they had to eat their fruit.  
  
"You look much better, Gabrielle." Xena said over her children's cries.  
  
"Thanks. I fell a little better." I said as Dawn started to slap my arm.  
  
"Well, as soon as these three fall asleep, we should celebrate." Xena declared. I raised my eyebrow.  
  
"How?" I asked. "A drink. But only one for you." We both chuckled and continued to feed the kids.  
  
That night, Xena and I sat around our campfire. Dawn, Gabriel, and Ivy were sleeping peacefully, all cuddled up together.  
  
Xena and I sat there in front of the fire and poured ourselves a drink of wine. I drank, feeling the cool liquid run down my throat. I looked at Xena who was also savoring the drink.   
  
"Remember. Just one." Xena said. "I don't want to clean up after you in the morning."  
  
"I know, Xena. I know." I said with a laugh.   
  
"Gods, the sky is beautiful tonight. It's a full moon." Xena said gently. I nodded. As soon as I had swallowed the next drink, I felt pain in my stomach. I ran over to the bushes and threw up. "Gabrielle?"  
  
"I don't know what's wrong with me." I declared as I wiped my mouth off. I staggered over to Xena and threw the last of my wine into the fire. I sat down and looked at my friend. At that exact moment, I felt something in my stomach start to move. I felt something growing. I had a strange look upon my face.  
  
"Gabrielle?" Xena asked again.  
  
"Something . . . something's moving." I said. She cocked an eyebrow at me. I scooted over to her. I grabbed her hand and put it on my stomach. "There. It's growing."  
  
"Gabrielle, what did you eat?" she asked. I scoffed.   
  
"The same thing you did, Xena." I said.   
  
"Are you sure you cooked it right? Feels like it's still swimming upstream!" Xena exclaimed. I scowled at Xena.  
  
"Ha ha ha." I said. "What's wrong with me?  



	7. Part 7

Part7  
  
"Just lie down, Gabrielle. I'm sure everything will be all right." Xena said with a not-so-convincing look on her face.  
  
"I don't know what's going on. I feel . . ." I said softly.  
  
"What?" Xena asked.  
  
"I feel pregnant." I said. Xena raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Well, who . . ." Xena started.  
  
"Nobody." I declared. Xena looked at me strangely.  
  
"Um . . . Gabrielle, I think that you need some rest." Xena declared. She put her hand to my forehead and I brushed it away.  
  
"Xena!" I exclaimed. "There's something terribly wrong with me, and I know that I am with child." I screamed in pain for a moment as I felt something in my stomach kick my insides. I took Xena's hand again. I put it to my stomach again. "Feel that. It's kicking. Xena, I'm pregnant." Xena shook her head in disbelief.  
  
"It's not possible." She said. I furrowed my brow.  
  
"Xena, you prayed to the gods. They gave you Ivy and Gabriel. I know that this is a child inside of me. It's growing so fast. Xena, I'm going to have another baby. I'm scared." I looked at Xena whose eyes were staring at my belly, wide with disbelief. I looked down and I could see my stomach beginning to grow. "Xena!" I exclaimed. "I'm so scared!" I looked over at my daughter and she looked worried.   
  
"Come on Gabrielle. Let's get you someplace safe." Xena said. She stood and put on Gabriel and Ivy's slings and put them in it. Then, she put Dawn's sling on and put her in it. The three were resting on Xena's back and Xena picked me up and carried me.  
  
"Where are we going?" I asked.  
  
"Someplace safe. I don't know where, but I have the feeling you're going to deliver." Xena said. She motioned for the horses to follow, and they obeyed.   
  
"It hurts." I kept moaning. I was crying, I was scared. I didn't know what to do. Xena continued to carry me, carry three babies on her back, and make sure the horses were following us. Storm clouds were forming ominously, and the wind was beginning to blow hard. I passed out in Xena's arms as she carried me to safety.  
  



	8. Part 8

Part 8  
  
When I woke up, I was lying in a pile of hay. I looked around and saw Argo and Midnight in stables, Xena sitting beside me, and my daughter, and Xena's twins playing in a nearby pile of hay.  
  
"Xena?" I asked in a whisper. Xena looked at me with a look of concern.   
  
"I'm going to die. Aren't I?" I asked.  
  
"Have faith, Gabrielle. Have faith." Xena said. I looked at my stomach. It was larger. I looked as if I was about to give birth. It'd completely ruined my clothes, the seams were busted, and Xena was working on mending them. I was wearing nothing, but a brown blanket covered me.  
  
"I wish that I knew what was going on. I wish that I knew everything." I said with tears in my eyes. "This has something to do with Dahak."  
  
"Yes. It does." Xena said. I looked at her with wide eyes.  
  
"What?" I asked. "You know something." Xena nodded.  
  
"I went to the Fates. They told me that the child was the child of Dahak." Xena said. My eyes grew wider.  
  
"It's evil." I said softly as I put my hands on my stomach.  
  
"I don't know." Xena said. "The Fates wouldn't tell me that. They told me they'd answer one question for me. That was the one. They wouldn't answer my other question."  
  
"So, this baby might not be evil?" I asked.  
  
"Gabrielle, think about it. Why else would an evil being impregnate you? Huh? You think about that. There's no way that this child could be good." Xena declared. She looked deep into my eyes, and I saw her sadness. I knew that she was scared. I knew she was going to cry. I sat up and hugged her, and we cried together. "I'm sorry this happened to you, Gabrielle. I never wanted you to go through anything like this."  
  
"I know. I know." I said as I continued to hug my friend. "Everything will be okay." All the while, in the back of my mind, I was thinking, 'Everything will be okay, I hope.'  
  
  



	9. Part 9

Part 9  
  
It was a few minutes later when things started to get wild. Pain rushed through me and thunder rumbled in the sky. I could hear lightning strike, wind blowing, and thunder crashing. Everything was so terrifying. I was praying that this child would be good, not evil, that everything was going to work out.  
  
Dawn, Gabriel, and Ivy were scared of the storm, and while Xena was helping me through my labor, she was saying soothing words to them to make them calm down and go to sleep.   
  
"Xena!" I cried. "It hurts so bad! Don't let me die!" The pain was coursing through my body a hundred times more painful than when I gave birth to Dawn.  
  
"Have faith, Gabrielle!" Xena said to me again. "Push!" I pushed so hard, so fast. I thought that the pain was going to overpower me. I thought the pain would never go away. I hurt so bad inside and outside. "I can see the head!" I continued to push and push, and finally, I heard the soft cries of a newborn infant as Xena lifted it into the world.  
  
"A girl, Gabrielle. You have a daughter." she said gently. I cried as I saw this remarkable beauty in my arms. She had hardly any hair, but the hair she did have was blonde. She had green eyes, and her features were just like Dawn's when she was born. The only difference was the blonde hair.  
  
"Xena, she's pure goodness. Look at her, Xena. She's beautiful. She's not a monster." I said as I held my baby in my arms. She didn't cry for long. She cooed for a few moments and fell right to sleep in my arms. Xena handed me another blanket for the child and I wrapped her up. I cradled the baby girl close to my chest.   
  
Sunlight began to shine through the dark clouds outside. The storm was over and everything was beautiful again. I looked at Xena who wasn't looking at me or at my new daughter. She was sewing me up. When she finished, she went over and sat in the other hay pile with the children.   
  
"Xena?" I asked.  
  
"Are you okay?" she asked me quickly.  
  
"I'm fine." I said with a smile. "She's not evil. You don't have to be afraid."  
  
"How do you know she's not evil, Gabrielle?" Xena asked.  
  
"Xena, I'm her mother. A mother knows these kinds of things. You should know that." Gabrielle declared.   
  
"Yeah." Xena said. I knew she didn't trust the baby. But, I though, how could someone not trust an innocent, beautiful baby?  



	10. Part 10

Part 10  
  
Within the next hour, Xena and I were out of the barn. We took the children and the horses and we left the barn. Xena hitched up a bed that could be dragged by the horses. She hitched the horses together and tied the bed-like thing to the reins. I laid in that with my daughter at my breast. Xena walked beside the horses with Gabriel and Ivy asleep in their slings. Dawn was getting to know her little sister.  
  
Xena watched the new baby like a hawk. She made sure the baby didn't do anything funny. I was about up to my neck with this. I was angry that Xena didn't trust my word that my daughter wasn't evil. I was about to explode!  
  
"You know what, Xena?" I asked. "Even if she were evil, how is a little baby like this gonna pick up something to kill somebody with? I mean, she's fragile, Xena. She doesn't know what anything is. The only thing she knows is that I'm her mother."  
  
"Looks can be very deceiving, Gabrielle. I've been duped by little innocents before." Xena said.  
  
"Well, I don't think that my baby's gonna get up and pick a sword up any time soon. Just don't jump to conclusions about my baby, Xena." I warned. She nodded and looked at me. She smiled halfway.  
  
"I'm sorry Gabrielle. I'm just worried about you. You've been through a lot." Xena declared. I nodded.  
  
"Thank you. I know you're worried about me, but I'm fine. Everything's fine." I announced as my baby daughter cooed again. I looked at my sleeping beauty and smiled.  
  
Dawn curled up on the other side of me and fell asleep in a couple of minutes. I looked at her with her red hair and grinned. I knew that one day, she'd have my blonde hair, and she'd look exactly like me. My new daughter, I knew, was going to as well. I looked back at the new baby in my arms, and I was surprised to find her wide-awake, staring into my eyes. She had a small smile on her face. It was the most peculiar thing I'd ever seen. Inside of my head, I heard a small voice. I closed my eyes.  
  
"I love you mommy." Was whispered inside of my head by a tiny, baby-like voice. I opened my eyes to find my new daughter and Dawn both fast asleep.  



	11. Part 11

Part 11  
  
A few hours later, we arrived in a clearing that would be suitable for the night. Every time I looked at my little baby, it seemed as if she'd grown. I knew that I was just imagining it, as every mother does, knowing that one day, she won't be little anymore.   
  
At the campsite, Xena started a cozy campfire. I fed my newborn daughter, and Dawn ate some fruit and some bread and a little bit of meat, as did Gabriel and Ivy. Xena and I had already had dinner, and Xena was making sure the babies didn't get too close to the fire.  
  
"Gabrielle." Xena said. I looked at her. "Is it just me or is the baby a little bit bigger than she was a few hours ago?"   
  
"You see that?" I asked. I furrowed my brow. "I just thought it was because I'm her mother and I think she's already growing up too fast."  
  
"Gabrielle, she looks bigger." Xena stated bluntly. I unwrapped the baby. I had put her in a loose white dress and little booties. The dress looked a big smaller on her.  
  
"I don't understand." I said. The baby smiled at me a little bit, her green eyes nearly glowing in the firelight.  
  
"She's the daughter of Dahak." Xena said. "She's bound to grow quickly, seeing as your pregnancy lasted, what, a day?" I nodded. "She's gonna grow up fast, Gabrielle. I don't think that's a good thing."  
  
"What are you saying?" I asked angrily. Xena sighed.  
  
"Gabrielle, I just don't think that it's a good idea to let her grow. I mean, her father is evil, she's obviously got something from him. She's growing. Her powers won't be mature until she's grown so, maybe she shouldn't be allowed to grow up."  
  
"You won't touch her." I said. "My child will not die. She's my daughter, and I'm going to protect her no matter what." I made sure my Sais were in my boots, and I looked at Xena. "I'm willing to fight you if I have to. I will not let you kill her."  
  
"Gabrielle. That's not what I meant. We can take her to the Fates. Take her somewhere to someone who has more power than Dahak. They can make sure that she never grows. Give her immortality. She'll have immortal infancy." I shook my head.  
  
"That's not fair, Xena. She's just a baby. She can't hurt anyone or anything. She is most likely pure and good, and I don't want her to be a baby forever. It's not right." I said. I put the baby down next to my bedroll and stood.   
  
"Look at you, Gabrielle. You look as if you haven't even been pregnant. Your abs are still there, your stomach is flat except for your muscles. That has to be weird." Xena said.   
  
"Xena, this is how it happened when Dawn was born." I said with a sigh. She nodded.  
  
"All right. You win." Xena said. "I'm going to sleep." She settled Ivy and Gabriel down and got them into their little bedrolls and Dawn hurried over to me. I got her into her bedroll and laid down in mine. Xena laid down in her bedroll with her sword still drawn. She put it inside the bedroll with her and closed her eyes. I sighed and tucked my sleeping newborn in and went to sleep myself.  



	12. Part 12

Part 12  
  
I awoke at sunrise the next morning. I was never woken up by the sound of my new daughter crying. I woke up to find Dawn sitting up in her little bedroll. She was rubbing her little eyes. I smiled at her. I looked over at my baby's bedroll and my eyes grew wide. She was sitting up and she had grown since the night before. She looked about Dawn's age.  
  
"Faith?" I asked, calling her by name for the first time. She smiled at me and waved.  
  
"Mama!" she exclaimed. I looked over at Xena who was sound asleep, as were Gabriel and Ivy. I picked Faith up and sat her in my lap. She had blonde hair, blonde like mine, and she had green eyes. This was my baby. Every time I looked into her eyes, I could see that was my baby.  
  
"What happened to you?" I asked. She just grinned and giggled. I knew, that for Xena, this would be the last straw. I had to do something before Xena awoke. I bundled up Faith and carried her out of the clearing. I took her down to a river, where, luckily enough, I found a basket. I put my daughter in that. "I'm sorry. If Xena found out you'd grown, she'd know she'd been right, and she'd think you were evil. I don't know if you're evil or not, but if your destiny was to be with your mother and be evil, then, that might not happen now. I love you Faith. Please, be good." I put the basket in the water with my little girl in it. She looked at me and her green eyes seemed to glow. I could hear a little whisper in my mind.  
  
"You'll see me soon." Is what I heard. I breathed a sigh and looked back at my baby girl who was drifting off to sleep. I started to cry as I waved to my little one. I was so afraid that Xena was right. What if I had brought evil into the world? Now, I knew, I'd never see my daughter again. Maybe it was for the best. What was I supposed to tell Xena?  
  
I ran back to the campsite. I was hurting because I'd let my daughter go and because I had to lie to my best friend.  
  
"Xena!" I exclaimed as I ran back into the campsite. Xena opened her eyes and sat up quickly.  
  
"Gabrielle?" she asked. She stood. "What happened? Are you okay?"  
  
"Faith! My baby! She's gone!" I exclaimed.  
  
"What?" Xena asked tiredly.  
  
"I woke up and Faith was gone. She wasn't here." I lied. "I don't know where she is!" Xena hugged me softly.  
  
"It'll be okay, Gabrielle." Xena said softly as she kissed the top of my head.  
  
"If you want, I'll help you look for her. I know . . . I know the things I said last night, but you're my best friend, and I will help you." Xena said.  
  
"There's no hope in finding her. She could've been gone since last night." I said, tears welling in my eyes. Xena nodded.  
  
"It's up to you." She said. I sighed and bit back a cry.  
  
"Maybe, one day, she'll have a good home." I said. Xena was about to say something, but decided against it. "Maybe it's best, if we just don't talk about her." Xena looked at me strangely. I knew she didn't know that I would've ever said that. I sighed. "It hurts to much to talk about it. I gave birth yesterday, and my baby was taken from me. That's all we know. Let's leave it at that." Xena nodded slowly and we didn't talk for the rest of the morning.  
  
  



	13. Part 13

Part 13  
  
A week had passed and Xena and I didn't speak of my daughter. I carried Dawn as I rode Midnight. Dawn rode on my lap. Xena carried Gabriel in the sling on her back, and she let Ivy ride on her lap.   
  
Every night, I dreamed of my beautiful Faith. I'd wake up crying because I missed her so much. On this day, I couldn't take the fact that my baby was gone. I was just so upset, Xena knew that I was upset. She just didn't know that I'd put the baby in a basket and sent her down river.  
  
"Xena." I started as we rode slowly toward Athens. She looked at me from atop Argo. "I need to go away for awhile. I need to have some time alone."  
  
"What's wrong?" Xena asked.  
  
"I just . . . I need to go home." I said. "I need to visit home. I'll catch up to you in a week or so."  
  
"Okay." Xena said unsurely. I just looked at my friend with a soft smile on my face and rode off with my daughter. I could feel Xena watching me as I rode.  
  
I traveled for a few hours and went back to the river, the same place I'd left my little girl. I felt tears welling in my eyes. I sat down on the banks of the river and I held Dawn in my arms. I closed my eyes.  
  
"Faith . . . I know you're out there somewhere. You're my little girl. I miss you." I said. "I wish you could hear me."  
  
"Mommy?" came a voice from behind me. I turned quickly and saw a little blonde-haired, blue-eyed girl standing there in a little brown dress. It looked as if it was made from a feed-sack. The little girl looked about 4 years old.  
  
"Faith?" I asked. The little girl started to suck her thumb and she nodded.  



	14. Part 14

Part 14  
  
I stood with Dawn in my arms and walked over to my little girl. I knelt down in front of her and looked into those beautiful eyes. It was her.   
  
"Why did you leave me, mommy?" she asked. With that, I started to cry.  
  
"I'm so sorry. I'm sorry I left you. I had to. You, you were in danger." I said. "I'm so sorry, Faith. I never wanted to hurt you. I love you."  
  
"I love you mommy." Faith said. I smiled softly and hugged my little girl. She clutched onto me, her little arms clung around my neck.   
  
"I love you baby girl." I said. I cried even more as I held my daughter in my arms. Dawn, squirming between us, started to cry. Faith let go of me so I could calm Dawn down. Then, I got onto my horse with Faith on my lap and Dawn in the sling on my back, and we rode off.  
  
A few hours later, Faith, who had been sleeping, woke up.  
  
"Mommy?" she asked.  
  
"Yes?" I asked.  
  
"Why do I grow so fast?" she asked. I sighed. I didn't know the answer.  
  
"I don't know. Maybe it's because your father . . ." I started.  
  
"My father, Dahak." She said.   
  
"How did you know?" I asked.  
  
"I don't know." She said with a shrug. I furrowed my brow.  
  
"Your father is evil. My friend, Xena, she thought you were evil." I said.   
  
"I know. I remember." Faith said. "I am."  
  
  
  



End file.
